Acetylene generator



Aug. 18, i925.

C. J. CLEFTCN 'ACETYLENE vGENERAVIOR N mm c im l ,m Ef M 3 V W a F ,w ,o .mi m o. A. E mf., 9 v1 B\,\ w 2 W mi L w.. A w, w u. il Fw a 5 w W m L., w

Worn exis l 1,550,010 C. J. CLEFTN ACETYLENE GENERATOR Filed Aug. 18, 1925.

1921 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 j' N VEN ron forn ya Aug.18,1925. Y 1,550,010

C. J. CLEFTON AGETYLENE GENERATOR Filed sept. 19. 1921 4 sheefep-shee't 3 c. J, cLEFToN CETYLENE GENERATOR Fi] ed v A Aug. is, 1925.

4 shee-sheet 4 Set [/v VEN Tof? M00 J. CLE/TUN Patented Aug. 18, 1925.

PATENT ortica- CLAUD CLFTON, O'F MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA., A'SSIGNOR, BY DIRECT ANDy yTIIFISLTF) ASSIGNMENTS, TO RUTH P. 1(JIEYFTCJZBT, 0F SI. PAUL, MINNESOTA,

ACETYLENE GENERATOR.

Application rled September 19, 1921. Serial No. 501,607.

To all whom t .may conce/m.'

Be it known that I, CLAUD J. fCnurroN, a citizen of the United States, resident of Minneapolis, county of Hennepin, State of Minnesota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Acetylene Generators, vof which the following is a specication.

The objects of my invention are:

First: To provide a generator in which air will he excluded d-uring the operation of cleaningand refilling the generator tank.

Seco-nd: To provide -a generator in which provision is made for delivering a priming charge to the generating tank without the necessity of lifting the ,gas bell manually for the purpose of delivering such priming charge from the main hopper.

rllhird: A Vgenerator in which provision is mad@l for discharging a surplus of gas into the open air should the carbide delivering` mechanism fail to perform its functions.

Fourth: A generator in which provision is made for automatically closing the gas service pipe leading to the lighting or welding system to indicate to the operator that the generating Atank has not been filled with water after the cleaning operation.

Fifth: A generator in which provision is made for automatically discharging the contents of the generati-ng tank.

Other objects of the invention will appear from the following detailed description.

The invention consists generally in various constructions and combinations, all as hereinafter described and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings forming part of this specitication,

Figure 1 is an elevation of an acetylene genera-tor embodying my invention,

Figure 2 is a sectional view on the line 2 2 of Figure 4,

Figure 3 is a sectional view on lthe line 3-3 of Figure 4,

Figure 4 is a plan view,

Figure 5 is a detail ysectional view of the Vpriming device,

Figure 6 is' a detail .sectional view of the relief valve and the valve for".closing the passage to the lighting system,

Figure 7 is a sectional View on the line 7-7 of Figure 2.

AIn the drawing, 2 represents the base of the generator, having a water chamber therein. 4 is a acket or casing, surniounting the base 2 and resting upon the inwardly inclined upper walls 5 of the base. 6 :is a cylindrical wall within the jacket 4 and forming a vertical continuation of the wall 5. Between the jacket 4 and the wall 6` an annular space 7 is formed that is adapted 'to receive a gas bell 8 that is spaced from the jacket 4 by rollers 9 secured to 'the inner wall of the top portion of the jacket 4 and riding or traveling in verticalguide rails 10, as shown in Figure 4. Rollers 11 areprovided and secured to the inner wall of the lower end of l'the gas bell which rest and ride on the outer surface of the wall 6 (Figure 7) guiding the bell in its vert-ical movement.

The upward travel or movement of the gas bell is controlled by stops 11a provided on the outer surface of the bell and stops 11b secured to the inner wall of the top portion ofthe jacket 4, 'as shown in Figures 2 and 4. When the gas bell is in its down position, the lower edge of the bell rests on the inclined upper wall 5 of the base.

A liquid seal 12, preferably of kerosene, is provided in the annular space 7 and into this sea-l the lower end of the bell depends. The interior of the bell is therefore sealed against the escape of ,gas therefrom or the entrance of air. 'The liquid sealing means will be forced by the ,gas pressure up into the space. between the bell and the jacket 4, as indica-ted in Figurey 2. Provision is made, however, so that this pressure will not be sufficient to drive the liquid seal 'entirely outl oi' the chamber and outside the generator, though it may rise in the space 7 to a point near the top of the-jacket, depending, of Toplrse, upon the pressure of the gas in the `Within the cylindrical member 6 and supported by the walls thereof` is a carbide hopper 13 having a discharge opening 14 and valve blades 15 and 16 mounted on a stem 17 in position to alternately open and close the discharge passage of the hopper, and allow flow of carbide therefrom or cut off such flow. A pipeA 18Ais provided in the hopper through which the valve stein eX- tends, and a fork 19 is mount-ed on the upi per end of the stem in position to be engaged by the arm 20 that is pivoted at 21 and is provided with a weight 22 on one side of its pivot and with an anti-friction roller 25 on the opposite side of the pivot that is in position to be engaged by the gas bell on its descent for the purpose of rocking the arm 20, swinging the fork 19 and rotating the valve stem to move one valve to its open position and the other valve to its closed position. A sleeve 2% is preferably provided beneath the hopper in which is supported a cone-shaped member 25, its converging` walls directing the carbide toward the renter of the generator'.

The hopper has a filling sleeve 2G, extending upwardly therefrom, and the gas bell has a similar sleeve 27, depending from the top thereof and encircling the sleeve 26 and adapted to rest on the top of the hopper when the gas bell is in its down position, and form a gas seal therewith. A pipe 28 is mounted in the top of the bell within the sleeve 27 and has a cover 29, normally sealing the opening to the pipe and a yoke St)- in which is mounted a screw 3l for engagingl the cover 29 and holding it securely in its closed position. Then this cover is removed, the pipe 28 will be exposed and the carbide hopper can be easily and conveniently filled with carbide.

At one side of the jacxet Ll l provide a tank filling pi ie 32 ltaving funnel 38 mounted thereon and provided with a valve 3l which, when opened, will allow the operator to lill the generating` tank with water up to the desired level. l als@ provide the generating' tank with a priming devife, consisting of a pipe 35, projecting up through the wall 5 of the generating tank and supporting an auxiliary hopper that is adapted to contain a priming charge of carbide, and has cover 37 and a yoke 3S in which is mounted a clamping screw 39. The lower end 0f the auxiliary hopper has a discharge opening and a valve 4L() is tted into this opening and is provided with a stem projecting` up through the cover 87 and a linger grip 4l by means of which the opera-tor can expose the opening in the bottom 0f the hopper and deliver the charge of carbide into the generating tank beneath, all without disturbing the main hopper or the gas bell.

The chief function of this primer charging device is to relieve the operator of the necessity of raising the gas bell by hand when he desires to discharge a small amount of carbide into the tank and generate sufficient gas to raise the gas bell.

In previous applications led by me on generators of this type, it is necessary to lift the bell by hand sufiiciently to allow discharge of a small amount of carbide, the bell returning by gravity and closing` the valve when the carbide has been delivered. JVith this priming device, l am able to easily and quickly deposit a sufficient amount of carbide in the tank to obtain the desired volume of gas without the manual labor of lifting the gas bell.

l provide also a discharge pipe 42 hav-- ing one end depending to a point near the bottom of the tank and proj ecting outwardly through the upper portion of the tank and having a control valve 43. Through this pipe the water and sludge is discharged fron'i the tank when the valve -lS is opened and sufficient gas is generated in the tank t0 force the water up through the discharge pipe. An agitating device comprising a rod 4,4-, journaled at l5 in the bottom of the tank and having agitating blades 46 adapted to sweep through the water and sludge in the tank and agitato the residuuni or settlings so that a. greater portion thereof will be carried off with the water through the discharge pipe. The rod 4l is n'iounted in the pipe i7 which extends to the opposite side of the tank, and said rod has a suitable operating handle 4S by means of which it and the agitating blades Vmay be revolved.

A pipe i9 conducts the gas from the generating tank to the upper portion of the gas bell and a pipe 50 is arranged within the pipe Lt9 and spaced from the walls thereof and leads the gas from the bell to la sleeve 5l that is mounted at one end in a valve casing 52 and normally depends into the water in the generating tank. A valve 53 is mounted t0 close the passage through the casing 52 and is provided with a float 54 which, when the generator is filled with water, raises the valve 53 from its seat and opens the passage to the service pipe 55 and the lighting and welding system. rlhis valve is for the purpose of shutting olf the flow of gas te the lighting and welding system until the user of the machine has filled the tank with water. Without this valve, the user might clean out the machine, fill it with carbide and attempt to obtain gas, forgetting that the tank had not been filled. This valve, however, will be a reminder, when the user of the machine fails to obtain gas, that he has neglected to fill the generating tank with water.

I also provide a pipe 56 leading from the valve casing and communicating with a cylinder 57 having a mercury seal 58. A cup 59 has its open lower end depending within the mercury and sealing normally the open upper end of the pipe 56 which projects into the cylinder 57 above the level of the mercury therein. Thepipe 60 communicates with the upper end of the cylinder 57 above the cup 59 vand extends therefrom to the open air. rlhe purpose of this device is t0 provide a relief or exhaust for the surplus gas, if for any reason there should be an excess of generation which might burst the walls of the machine, or which might destroy #the :seal of the gas bell and escape into the .room where the machine was located.

In the operation loli the machine, assuming that the carbide hopper is empty and the gas bell at the limit of its ldownward movement, the valve controlling the discharge of carbide from the hopper will be closed. The operato-1' will then remove the cover inthe top oit' the gas loell and lill the hopper.V The carbide can not, however, be delivered to the generating tank until the bell is lifted to change the position of the controlling valves. To avoid lifting the bell manually, the operator will deliver the priming charge oi' carbide to the tank and as soon asthis is done, gas will be generated to raise the bell and allow the automatic valve .control to change the position of the valve and deliver a charge of carbide from the hopper into the' feed chamber beneath the hopper. Then as the bell again descends, the position of the valves will be reversed to deposit a charge of carbide in the tank and continue the gas generating operation.

Should the user desire to draw o the' water and sludge in the generating tank, he will open the valve i3 and the pressure of the gas will force the water and sludge out through the pipe l2 until a level above the lower end of the pipe l2 is reached. At this point the discharge will cease. The valve 53 will then close by gravity and shut oil the liow oi: gas to the service pipe until the generating tank is again filled with water.

Any extraordinary pressure of gas, suoli as might result from failure of the hopper controlling valves to operate, will raise the valve 53 and permit the escapey oi surplus gas into the outside air.

I claim as my invention:

l. An acetylene generator comprising a tank adapted to contain a supply of water, a carbide hopper having a means for controlling the discharge of the carbide into said tank, the upper portion of said generator having a pipe connection with said tank, a gas pipe leading from the upper portion of said generator, a service pipe communicating with said gas pipe and a valve normally held in its open position by the water in said generating tank and allowed to close and shut off the llow of gas to said service pipe when the water is discharged from said tank.

2. An acetylene generator comprising a tank adapted to contain a supply of water, a carbide hopper, the upper portion of said generator having means for communication with said tank to receive gas therefrom, a gas supply pipe leading from the upper portion of said generator, a service pipe communicating with said gas supply pipe,

a valve mounted to close the gas passage from sai-d supply pipe to said service pipe when the water in said tank falls below a predetermined point, and said valve having a float connected therewith and depending within the water in the tank for normally hold-ing said valve in its open position and vopening the `passage from said supply to said service pipe.

3. An acetylene generator compiising a tank adapted to vcontain a Ysupply of water, a carbide hopper, a gas bell having means forv communication with said generating tank to receive gas therefrom, a gas supply pipe leading rom said bell, a service pipe communicating with said gas supply pipe, a valve mounted to close the gas passage rom said supply pipe to said service pipe when the water in said tank falls below va .predetermined point, and said valve having a iioat connected therewith and depending within the water in the tank for normally holding said valve in its open position and opening the passage from said supply to said service pipe, and a gas eX- haust pipe communicating with said supply pipe when said valve is opened and hai/ing a valve normally closed and adapted to open and allow the escape of surplus gas when the pressure rises above a predetermined point. i

i. An acetylene generator including a carbide hopper, gas bell and water tank, in combination with means controlled by the rise and fall of the water in said tank for opening a passage from said gas bell to the service pipe when the water in said tank is above a certain predetermined level, and closing said passage when the water in said tank is below said level.

5. An acetylene generator including a water tank, carbide hopper and gas bell and a pipe leading from said bell to the service pipe, in combination with a valve mounted in said pipe and a ioat connected therewith for opening said valve when said tank is full of water and closing said valve when the water in said tank is below a predetermined level.

6. An acetylene generator comprising a generating tank adapted to contain a supply of water, a carbide hopper, a gas supply pipe communicating with said generating tank, a service pipe communicating with said supply pipe, a pipe communicating with said gas supply and service pipes and depending within the water in said tank, a valve mounted to close the gas passage from said supply pipe to said service pip-e, a float connected with said valve and positioned within said water depending pipe for normally holding said valve in its open position and opening the passage from said supply to said service pipe, said float descending within said water depending pipe and Closing said valve when the water in said generator falls below a predetermined level.

7. An acetylene generator comprising a tank adapted to contain a supply of water, a carbide hopper, means for delivering gas from said tank to said generator, a service pipe Communicating with the upper portion of said generator to receive gas therefrom, a valve for closing the gas passage in said service pipe and having` a float oonneeted therewith to depend within the wator in ,said tank, said float normally hold ing said valve in its open position when the level of the water in said tank is above a predetermined point, and allowing said valve to close the gas passage through said pipe when the level of the water in said tank falls below a predetermined point.

8. An acetylene generator Comprising a tank adapted to contain a supply of water, a carbide hopper, means for delivering gas from said tank to said generator, a service pipe communioating with the upper portion of said generator t0 receive gas therefrom, a valve for closing the gas passage in said service pipe and having a iioat connected therewith to depend within the water in said tank, said float normally holding said valve in its open position when the level oi the water in said tank is above a predetermined point, and allowing said valve to close the gas passage through said pipe when the level of the water in said tank fails below a predetermined point, and a pipe depending within the water in said tank and encircling said float.

ln witness whereof l have hereunto set my hand this 6th day of August, 1921.

CLAUD J. CLEFTON. 

